


The Emancipation of Darcy Lewis

by SgtBarnes107



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Darcy Lewis is the fandom bicycle and I love it, Darcy Lewis-centric, Darcyland (Marvel), F/M, Jane Foster & Darcy Lewis Friendship, Minor Jane Foster/Thor, Mutual Pining, Not Beta Read, Protective Jack, Rescue Missions, SHIP DARCY LEWIS WITH ALL THE THINGS
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:34:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27185254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SgtBarnes107/pseuds/SgtBarnes107
Summary: After a semi-successful Hydra attack, Strike Alpha rescues Darcy but must drive her across the country to Shield HQ in DC.
Relationships: Darcy Lewis & Brock Rumlow, Darcy Lewis/Jack Rollins, Jane Foster & Darcy Lewis
Comments: 34
Kudos: 106





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PumpkinDoodles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PumpkinDoodles/gifts).



> Not beta read. I apologise for any mistakes. 
> 
> I am a huge fan of pumpkindoodles and her triple agent headcanon for Brock and Jack.

If Darcy had known that she would be extracted at ass o'clock in the morning, was it really morning if it was still dark out, she probably would've worn pajamas to bed. Or at least longer sleep shorts. As it was, when the new and non-Hydra improved Strike Alpha team broke into her home at 2:47a, she was wearing a cami and the skimpiest shorts that ever existed. 

She could feel eyes on her as she snatched up her glasses, laptop, and purse. The three closest things she could think to grab in her sleep addled state of mind. 

The former Strike Alpha members who were loyal to Hydra and still alive had been causing chaos. Bombing the lab, she and Jane we're currently using. Right now she was regretting insisting on separate living arrangements. But after so many years of living and working with Jane, she had needed the space from her friend and boss. 

With caution, the team led her out of the apartment and into a black armored SUV. With practiced ease, the line of SUVs pulled out of the parking garage and went in separate directions. Anyone looking to kidnap Darcy would have a hard time determining which SUV she was actually in. 

Packed into the SUV, middle of the backseat, with large men in tactical gear, Darcy felt claustrophobic. She had known for years that Jane and her lived dangerous lives. The threats were constant and taken seriously. 

Tonight, however, it felt more real. It was the first time she had been separated from Jane during a rescue mission. After the minimal discussion to grab and go, the team had been radio silent. Darcy fought the urge to ramble in her nervous state. 

She didn't even realize her knee was bouncing up and down, until a large, gloved hand gently pressed it down. It was the gentle manner of the act that stopped her cold. She looked up, way up it seemed, into the face of the agent. 

"It's okay, you're safe now. We won't let anything happen to you." 

The voice was soft but laced with steel. 

"Where are we going? Is Jane okay?"

"There's a safehouse a few hours up the road. We'll meet up with the other team. Then we're under orders to take you to headquarters." 

Darcy nodded along until she noticed he never gave her an answer regarding Jane. 

"What about Jane? Is she okay? Is she meeting us at the safehouse?"

The man looked across to the front passenger. A silent conversation in a single look.

"Dr. Foster was at the lab when it blew up. We have a team scouring the rubble. We don't know if she was abducted or if she was still inside."

Darcy felt like she was underwater as soon as she heard Jane had been at the lab. The voice sounded like the teacher from Charlie Brown as he continued talking. Until he pressed her face down to her knees and encouraged her to breathe. 

It had been years since she'd had a massive anxiety attack but she certainly had not missed the crushing feeling in her chest when it felt like she couldn't breathe. Her heart was racing and her head was swimming. 

The man in the front seat barked out an order to pull over. Once they were safely on the shoulder of the road, the agent unbuckled her and lifted her out. Seconds later, she was bent over vomiting. The Thai noodles she'd had for dinner swimming in the sick. That was certainly enough to turn her off from noodles for a while, she thought. 

A loud keening wail was reverberating in her head and she wished the noise would stop. It was her last clear thought before everything went dark. 

Rumlow capped the needle after giving Darcy a tranq. It wasn't ideal to sedate her. If they were attacked, someone would have to carry her to safety, occupying their hands. But she had slipped into shock and it was necessary. 

Rollins lifted the poor woman into his arms. She was tiny against his chest. He felt his heart soften as he looked at her. 

The puffs of breath against his neck tickled. His lips lifting into a miniscule smile. The urge to kiss her puckered brow until it smoothed out caught him by surprise. While he had certainly noticed she was a beautiful woman, he was a hardened agent and never noticed such things when on a mission. 

Rollins waited while the other agent riding in the back climbed into the car, handed Darcy off to him until he settled into his seat. Then he pulled her into his lap. Her legs across the seat, feet brushing the other agent's leg. Rumlow grabbed a blanket from the emergency kit. They were sure she would appreciate not having her body on display once the sun began to rise in a few hours. 

He called the other team, instructing them to stop for supplies. They had a couple of female agents on their team and they could grab essentials for her. For now though, he expected his team to mind their manners and keep their eyes at appropriate levels. 

A few hours later, with Darcy still asleep, they arrived at the safehouse. Tucked back from the road, a two story clapboard house sat hidden from sight. With Rollins watching over Darcy, the other team members secured the house and perimeter. 

With the all clear given, Rollins carried her into the house and into the bedroom with the single bed. It was the smallest room but she didn't need to stress about sharing the space even in the short time they'd be here. 

Rollins stared down at her as she slept peacefully. He knew he needed to maintain a professional distance but something about this woman seemed to be breaking through his barriers. 

He descended the stairs and walked into the kitchen. The team was spread out. Cooking breakfast, cleaning their guns, while Rumlow was setting up camp. The rest of the team were due to arrive soon. While Darcy was well protected with the four of them present, hell she was safe with just one of them present. Having the ability to rotate out was ideal. 

Rumlow had received word that the lab had been empty. They were to operate until the assumption that Dr. Foster had been successfully abducted. The other Strike teams and even the Avengers were now tasked with locating and rescuing her. Which left the twelve members of Alpha in charge of Darcy's safety. 

Fury had nixed their plan to fly her to DC. Too many variables. So now they would be driving across the country from Washington. With the need for discretion, they would have to nix the very obvious government issued SUVs. 

The plan was to keep one car on the road at all times. They would alternate Darcy between the vehicles and teams. 

Rollins clenched his jaw as Rumlow told them the plan. It was a sound strategy. But the thought of not being able to see her at all times made his gut churn. 

The creak of a step echoed across the room like a shot. The team snapped to attention and turned as if one unit. All with guns in hand. Pointed at a very nervous looking Darcy.

Rollins dropped his gun and moved to stand in front of her before his brain even processed. 

"Whoa dude, that was some Matrix shit." Darcy said to his back. 

"Note to self, make noise when entering a room so you don't wind up Sonny Corleone."

A round of chuckles eased the tension in the room. Rollins turned to the side and looked her over. Of course, they'd all know if a gun had been fired but it felt second nature to check her for injuries. 

One of the agents handed her a bowl filled with oatmeal. It wasn't even close to her usual breakfast food of preference but it was hot and free. Beggars and choosers and all that. 

Now that she was awake and alert, she felt ridiculous standing in a room with 4 heavily armed men in tactical gear in her night clothes. Sensing her apprehension, Rollins pulled off his long sleeved shirt. His Under Armour shirt would suffice. It dwarfed on Darcy's slight frame. Even with her curves and abundant breasts it hung off her like a dress. 

Rumlow held her bowl while she rolled up the sleeves. 

He slid his eyes over towards Rollins and noticed an affectionate smirk on his friend's face. It seemed the normally stoic Aussie had an affinity towards the lab assistant. Rumlow admitted she was cute. Okay she was hot but he had the impression that she was not as timid as she had appeared so far. In fact, he had a feeling that she was somewhat of a livewire. She'd be perfect for his best friend. 

Once the sleeves were dealt with, Darcy retrieved her oatmeal. In between bites, she studied the agents. They were all built. However it was the way they held themselves that really stood out. While not all of them were very tall. One agent barely stood above her, their stance clearly screamed "I will fuck you up". She was glad they were the good guys. 

"Any news about Jane?"

Rumlow cleared his throat while Rollins instinctively moved closer to Darcy. As if to shield her from the emotional blow she was about to receive. 

"They cleared the lab earlier this morning. There was no sign of Dr. Foster." He paused as he heard the sharp intake of breath. "We now believe that whoever attacked the observatory was able to abduct her in the process."

Despite her breakdown during the night and the intake of breath, Darcy took the news much better than they had anticipated. Watching tears silently trail down her cheeks made them wish she'd lash out instead. 

Rollins clenched his jaw so tightly at the sight of her heartbreak it was a miracle his teeth didn't break. He was torn between staying by her side to offer whatever support she needed and the overwhelming urge to wreak havoc on someone. 

He could feel his blood pounding in his ears. His hands clenching in perfect rhythm. He craved the feeling of bones crunching under his meaty hands. The taste of copper as blood spilled from his opponent. 

Picking up on the tension, Rumlow edged him outside. Leaving O'Malley and David behind to keep watch. He led Rollins far enough away from the house that he could unleash the anger while also keeping an eye on the drive. 

They were sparring when the sound of gravel crunching alerted them to a vehicle approaching. Rumlow tapped his comm and ordered Darcy moved to safety until they identified friend or foe. 

Thankful for the bastardised serum courtesy of Hydra, they ran across the yard until they were standing in front of the house, guns drawn and pointed towards the approaching vehicles. 

"Driver, turn off the car, hands out the window."

The driver complied immediately. 

"Use your right hand to open the door from the outside, left hand unbuckle your seatbelt, and climb out of the car, hands raised."

Once the driver was out and instructed to kneel on the ground in front of the car, the same orders were issued to the passenger. 

Rumlow and Rollins approached with caution, cuffing them, and lifting them off the ground. 

They breathed out in relief when they realized it was the team starting to arrive. 

"Any problems on the way in?"

Ambrose replied. "We shook a tail early on. Drove in circles for hours until we made sure we were clear. Then we headed this way. Heard reports of a shooting on her block. I don't think this was intended to be a kidnapping boss." 

The news of the shooting seemed to rattle the agents. While they were always prepared for any situation, they had been operating on the premise they had averted an attempted kidnapping. Knowing it was leaning towards attempted murder changed the entire game.

Jumping into action, they ran back to the house. They needed to get on the road immediately. The others could meet them on their travels. 

"Ambrose, I want you, O'Malley, and Perez on the road now. I want to be in Salt Lake City by nightfall."

Perez grabbed the bags out of the bag, handing off the clothes and toiletries she'd been asked to pick out, then jumped in the driver's seat. Rollins collected the bags, nodded his thanks once, and headed back inside. Within moments, O'Malley joined the others. His bag slung across his back. 

"I want Andrews, Olson, and Jeffries in the tail car. Watanabe, Tyler, and Baggins need to scout out places to stop. Tell them I want them in Denver by morning."

Back inside, Rollins handed the bags to Darcy. He informed her of the change in plans. Granting her request to at least shower before they headed out. She pulled a few items out of the bags, then gave them back to him to put in the SUV. 

Twenty minutes later, they were back on the road. At least this time Darcy was made aware of their destination. Darcy was mentally cursing Fury for not granting the request to fly back to DC. Even if it made sense. She had never once had a desire to see the country via a road trip. She was too restless to sit in a car for hours on end. 

The seating arrangements were switched around and the agent who had sat with her before was now driving. The one who seemed to be in charge was now sitting beside her. It would really do her well to learn their names already. 

"So I think we've skipped a vital step in the process. I mean I guess I could just keep calling everyone dude and agent in my head."

The leader huffed out a laugh. 

"Yeah sorry about that. We're not really used to having to introduce ourselves on missions. I'm Brock Rumlow, Commandeer of Strike Alpha. The guy driving is my second in command, Jack Rollins, and the agent riding shotgun is Noam David."

"Oh, David like Ziva from NCIS?"

The agent looked over and smiled. "Exactly. Although unlike Ziva, I'm not ex-Mossad. I'm from Pittsburgh." 

Darcy laughed at his joke. As their conversation ended, she looked up and met striking pale green eyes in the rear view mirror. She felt mesmerised and couldn't pull away. Finally he broke contact to watch the road. 

Jack cursed his decision to be the driver. If not for the need to keep his eyes focused on the road, he would never have looked away. His palms felt clammy and his stomach felt funny. 

Everything was going smoothly until they reached a curvy section of highway. Without warning an SUV came barreling down the highway behind them at a high rate of speed. Rollins had no room to get over without going off the side of the road. While the embankment was not overly steep, it would leave them as sitting ducks until backup arrived.

With manoeuvring skills that would make Hollywood drool, Rollins whipped the car at an angle that allowed David to blow out the tires of the SUV. At the same time, Brock pulled Darcy down across the seat, laid down over her, and pulled his gun. 

The driver lost control of the bullet riddled SUV and went over the side of the embankment. Slamming into a tree so hard, Rollins and David saw the tree shake violently. Like a large dog shaking after a bath. 

Agent David and Rollins shared a look before exiting their car. Guns out and raised before they even cleared their doors. Typically their training would have them edging away so they could angle their bodies at the ends of the vehicle they approached. However, with Darcy in the SUV. they kept their bodies between her and whatever danger might come up from the embankment. 

Brock kept a hand pressed into Darcy's bank. Letting her know to stay down as he lifted off to keep watch. Two of his men were out there and he planned to have their backs as much as possible while still protecting the unarmed civilian in his care. 

When the all-clear was issued, he allowed Darcy to sit up. A cursory once-over for any injuries. Reminding her to stay in the car, he got out and joined Jack and Noam. 

"It looks like a drunk with road rage. You could smell the booze before you even got to the car. We'll have Jeffries call it in as they pass. I think it's best we get out of here before anyone else comes along."

"What do we tell her when she asks?"

They all shared a long look before Brock replied.

"The truth. We tell her the truth always."

Jack nodded his head in approval. He knew that while Brock was not a liar per se, he had no problem evading the truth when the situation called for it. He hadn't felt comfortable lying to Darcy. 

He glanced back towards the car and saw Darcy open the door. 

He broke away and jogged to her. 

Not dissuading her from getting out but remaining close enough to shield her if required. At her prompting, he gave her the full rundown. He refused to let her feel even a smidge of guilt that the driver was killed on impact by the tree sitting at the bottom of the embankment. 

"He was drunk, Darce. While the bullets bring the circumstances into question from a LEO perspective, there's no denying he was way past the legal limit."

"I guess there's little hope in asking for more discretion before we open fire on others?"

Brushing his hand up her arm in a comforting gesture, he agreed it would be pointless. 

With a sharp whistle, Rumlow called them back to the SUV. Conveniently, the back seat was left open for them. Agent David was behind the wheel while Rumlow was riding shotgun. He was on the phone with the tail car. Updating them. They had a couple of more hours before they reached Salt Lake City. 

They'd be getting a couple of hotel rooms. Ideally, Noam would be the best choice to bunk with her. It was widely known in Shield that he was happily married. He was more apt to look at Darcy like a sister than a potential fuck. 

Rumlow was a notorious ladies man. Although he was a professional, so while Darcy checked all his boxes, he would never compromise them by sleeping with her. 

That left Rollins. Brock knew Jack was emotionally invested. A statement that Brock had never thought would be said. Not that he thought Jack was unable to feel emotions, but he had always locked them down on missions. 

The one thing he knew for sure, Darcy couldn't bunk alone. The risk that someone could get to her before they could intervene was too high. It was bad enough they'd be staying at a hotel instead of a secure site. It was best not to tempt fate further by presenting opportunities. 

In the end, he decided they would draw straws. Once again Darcy stepped into the restroom at the diner they stopped at for lunch. 

When Noam drew the short straw he released a mental sigh of relief. Jack clenched his jaw but had to admit that if he couldn't stay with Darcy, it was best to have Noam there. 

Once Darcy returned to the table and they placed their order, Brock discussed the sleeping arrangements. He promised they'd get a room with 2 beds or a sleeper sofa if necessary. Once again, Darcy bent to necessity. She wasn't thrilled that a man she barely knew would be sharing her room over the next few days. She only hoped once they reached headquarters that she had a room to herself while there. 

"For what it's worth, it would be greatly appreciated if in the future I was invited to the discussions regarding decisions about me. I get that I'm not a trained agent with badass skills, but it is my life we're talking about. I'd like to at least pretend I had a say in what happens."

The three men hung their heads and agreed. Brock apologized for making decisions without her input. 

After lunch, they took the chance to stretch their legs. While it hadn't been a long drive, it was still hard to be in the car for hours. 

A couple hours later, they pulled into the parking lot of a Hampton Inn. Two rooms, second floor away from the elevators and stairwells, with a connecting door. Noam stepped out for dinner and drinks. He was the least conspicuous of the agents. While he was muscular and certainly good looking, he had a boy next door look about him. 

With Jack's scar and Brock's looks, they were both too memorable. They wanted to leave as few impressions as possible. Thankfully Perez had thought to grab a hat when shopping. With a ball cap and casual t-shirt and jeans, Darcy could slip by unnoticed. The shirt was just loose enough to hide her boobs. She could've easily passed for a college girl running errands. Nothing remotely memorable. 

Once pizzas and water had been consumed, they discussed the rest of the trip. Ideally Brock would've loved to drive straight through until they reach HQ. But he realized it wasn't feasible. The human body required true rest. Not cat naps in a moving car. 

They planned out their destinations. Tomorrow they hoped to reach Lincoln, Nebraska. Darcy was not thrilled with the 13+ hour drive but needs must. The day after that was not much better. They were aiming to reach St. Louis. Then Nashville. Before finally reaching the Capital. So four more days, at minimum, before this nightmare was over. Then again, did reaching DC really mean the nightmare had ended? 

She foresaw tight security, enforced lockdown, secret underground bases. Once Jane was safely back and things settled down, they would be having The Talk. Darcy felt like it may be time to leave the not-so-secret anymore agency for good.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trip gets a little more complicated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I spent an inordinate amount of time researching various trip routes and now I'm ready for another road trip. I once drove, by myself which isn't smart or ideal, from Tennessee to Phoenix. So this is giving me warm fuzzies, nostalgia, and the urge to jump in my car and go.

The scariest feeling in the world, Darcy decided, was a hand slipping over her mouth and seeing a giant man leaning over her body. This was becoming a disturbing trend, Darcy thought as Agent David pulled her out of bed and into the other room. Brock and Jack were already kitted out in their full gear with their guns drawn. 

Brock had heard chatter, his old comm from his undercover work in Hydra still functioned, that Hydra was planning to attack them later that day. While they were leery of trusting the information, it could be a ruse afterall, they still had to take preventative measures to protect Darcy. A kill on sight order had been issued for Darcy. 

This was no longer about stopping a kidnapping. Darcy's life was now on the line. While Jack knew that every single Strike Alpha member would lay their life down to protect her, he also knew that for the most part, it was another job, another mission to them. Sometimes missions didn't go as planned. 

Jack would burn down the world and piss on the ashes before any Hydra scum got close enough to hurt her. 

Brock and Noam snuck out of the hotel. Brock went to procure a new vehicle. Noam would meet up with him and destroy their SUV. While police, fire, and rescue crews were dealing with the chaos, they would skip town. 

Darcy pushed the panic down. Promising herself a full meltdown as soon as all of this was over. But for right now, she had to focus on staying ahead of Hydra. Jack gave her five minutes until they had to sneak out the fire exit. They couldn't risk the security cameras capturing them getting into the stolen vehicle. So they would walk to their designated meeting place. 

They had pushed through Salt Lake City the day before. Ending up about a half hour outside of the city. Close enough to civilization they wouldn't stick out as strangers, but far enough away that there wasn't surveillance everywhere. 

Which meant that Darcy, who was not known as an outdoorsy person, and Jack were sneaking past tree lines, darting across an interstate, to reach a canyon on the other side. Brock would meet them a couple of miles away. 

Once they had finally met up with Brock and Noam, they decided to reconfigure their plans. There was no indication of when or where the supposed attack would occur. They couldn't even be sure that Hydra was aware of their travel plans. If they took another route, would that inherently place Darcy in more danger? 

Darcy declared that if they were going to be discussing such heavy topics, before sunrise, she needed coffee with pancakes and bacon. Noam found another diner and they stopped for breakfast. 

Pulling up Google maps on their phones, they each picked a different route to get to DC. Minus Brock who felt that skipping DC and going to the Bronx where they could lay low for a while with the help of his family and friends was the best option. 

Darcy was not interested in backtracking to go into Canada. It was a nice country but she just wanted this to be over already. 

Jack was in favor of heading to the desert. Having wide open spaces with clear sightlines put him at ease. It was much harder to ambush them when you could see for miles. The only problem was, out in the desert there were blocks of time where there were no signs of civilization around. They would need to stock up on supplies. Extra gas cans, ammo, foods, water. Jack was from Australia. While he had grown up near the beach, he had spent years in SAS training in the Outback. 

Brock was a stubborn man. He wanted to clench his jaw and continue on their chosen path. It was best to meet the event headon. They knew an attack was imminent. They could prepare for the worst. Stock up on ammo, improvise a few surprises of their own. But he was realistic. If they were on a mission to take out Hydra, it would be different. But an innocent civilian was in danger. So he opted to alter their plans slightly and swing through Denver instead of Lincoln.

Noam wanted to hire a pilot and fly across the country. Despite Fury's reticence. If the only concern was flying commercial, then flying wasn't completely out of the running. This idea was shot down immediately. None of them had the funds to pay for it. 

With Noam's suggestion thrown out as unfeasible, they were left with two realistic options. They dissected each option. The pros and cons laid out. To be fair to Darcy, since she'd had very little say the day before, they allowed her to make the final decision. 

Sipping on her lukewarm coffee, she mulled them over once last time before deciding. 

"I agree with Jack. While it's the least convenient route, I think driving through the desert is our best option. Having the open sightlines benefits us more in the long run. Not to mention, it's the least likely route they will consider us taking. We'll stay on I-15 then we hit Las Vegas and cross over onto Hwy 93 and be in Phoenix by nightfall. But if we're doing this, I want to fully commit. We'll go through El Paso, drive to New Orleans, up to Savannah, then up into the Carolinas towards DC."

It was not ideal. The longer they were on the road traveling, the bigger and easier a target they would be. Especially being alone. Brock decided to have the team meet up and convoy. If they were going to take the extra long route, they needed more than the three of them protecting Darcy.

He fired off the texts. O'Malley replied they'd meet up in Phoenix. They had arrived in Denver. So they'd need the time to make it to Phoenix. Jeffries would meet them in El Paso. Watanabe would be waiting in San Antonio. 

Once they received confirmation from the other cars and they had finished their breakfast and coffees, they made to leave. Jack and Brock had a quick conversation which resulted in Darcy now wearing a bulletproof vest. She wasn't thrilled but she'd do anything that would save her life. Plus it was one of Jack's vests. While she was closer in height to Brock, her breasts had made the fit too snug to wear for extended periods. Jack's broad chest meant the vest was much more reasonable. She could smell faint hints of his cologne. A rich, woodsy scent that enveloped her senses. She knew she would always associate this particular scent to Jack. 

Jack felt like he was on fire. He'd always enjoyed seeing a woman in his clothes but seeing Darcy in his vest made something feral inside him come alive. He felt a bit like a lecher though. Since the only reason she was wearing his vest was because her life was endangered. But his libido was not getting the memo. He was glad he was driving this time so he could discreetly adjust his bulge. 

Brock's smirk let him know he had not been as discreet as he had hoped to be. He turned the radio on, volume lowered to not disturb Darcy if she tried to sleep, he pulled out onto the highway and they set off on their new course towards Las Vegas. Once they hit Nevada, they'd switch drivers. They needed to stay on the road this time as long as possible. Once they were met up with O'Malley in Phoenix they could breathe easier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who left comments and kudos on the last chapter. I plan to respond to them today.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in posting. I started writing this chapter earlier this week but had a tough time with it.

Ever since her internship in New Mexico with Jane and Erik, Darcy had enjoyed watching the desert light up as a new day began. Despite the severity of her current situation, Darcy was happy to once again witness the peaking sun climbing in the pink and orange sky. 

The drive overnight had been filled with a strained silence. The guys had switched off driving duty regularly. Each taking an opportunity to rest in the backseat, head propped against the window. When it was Jack's turn to rest, he had encouraged her to sleep as well. But the heaviness was weighing on her. There hadn't been any updates on Jane. The thought of her friend in the hands of Hydra turned her stomach inside out and filled her with rage. 

She wanted to scream, punch, kick, and kill. She felt impotent. She tried pushing it all back down. Plastering the world's fakest smile onto her face. She was safe. She didn't want to make this about her. She couldn't afford to have a pity party. 

She knew the guys were watching her. Waiting for the moment when she broke into a million pieces. Jagged edges that they might not be able to glue back together. Especially Jack. She always felt the weight of his eyes on her. His hawkish gaze both disturbed her peace and filled her with peace. These guys would lay their lives down to save her. The reality of that dark thought burdened her. No one deserved to die for her. She wasn't even that important. Not like Jane was. 

All night she played everything over and over in her head. It was time to end this. There was no reason to have the best of the best Shield had to offer playing babysitter for her. Strike Alpha needed to be out there hunting down those fucking Nazis who had Jane. She just needed to figure out how to make them see it that way. 

She knew they'd fight her. They saw her as their mission. Getting her to DC was of the utmost importance. Then they could join the hunting party. However, getting to DC, even if they never stopped longer than refueling, eating, and using the bathroom, would take days. The trail was growing colder. Darcy had watched enough true crime investigations to know time was not their friend. 

Jane could be anywhere in the world by now. She was probably in some hidden underground bunker in a small country that was not on good terms with the US. Making it more difficult for teams to infiltrate. If Alpha hadn't been stuck on babysitting duty, they might have been able to rescue Jane the very night she had been taken. 

Spiraling down into the recesses of that rabbit hole, Darcy missed the silent conversation between Brock and Jack. They had been expecting the gravity of the situation to finally hit Darcy. Not that she had been taking it lightly. But she had been forcing herself to stay positive. Be strong. Eventually, she was going to crash. 

This was the hardest stage for any victim. They had survived while a loved one might not. It was hard to move forward. The million what-ifs, various scenarios, that plagued their thoughts. Would Jane have stayed home if Darcy had lived with her? Would Darcy have been able to stop the abduction? Would Darcy have sacrificed herself to give Jane the chance to escape? 

Brock knew that they had to head off the darkness before it overtook her. Especially if, as he suspected, the mission turned into retrieval and not rescue. By now, Hydra would have had plenty of time to torture Dr. Foster for whatever information they wanted. 

It took years of intense training and hardened mental discipline to survive torture. Something that Foster did not have experience with. There were very few people that he knew who would survive the methods Hydra would use. Brock had several scars on his body to attest to the barbaric lengths Hydra went to get the answers they desired. He knew the only reason he had survived was the bargain basement serem he had been given as a reward for passing the testing. 

Jack clenched his jaw shut. The urge to protect Darcy, even from the mental anguish she was suffering, was instinctive. However, he knew this was a battle she had to fight alone. She wasn't ready or willing to listen to them currently. She would shut them out if they tried talking to her. The best they could do was to keep an eye on her at all times. It was not uncommon for someone to harm themselves during this period. 

Firm in her decision, Darcy broke the silence in the car. 

"I want to speak to Fury."

Brock and Jack exchanged looks before Brock cleared his throat to speak. 

"Okay. I can make that happen. We'll pull off at the next diner, eat some breakfast, and I'll give him a call."

Instead of replying, Darcy nodded her head and resumed looking out the window. 

She knew convincing Fury to redirect Strike Alpha to the search for Jane was going to be difficult. Unlike Jane, she didn't have an bargaining chip. Nothing to hold over his head to force him to comply with her decision. 

However, she had excelled in her debate classes. She was stubborn as hell and unwilling to bend on her position. 

As promised, Brock motioned for Noam to pull off into a truckstop diner. Noam and Brock got out to canvass the restaurant and surrounding area before Darcy and Jack stepped out to join them. 

Once their orders were placed, Brock and Darcy stepped outside. Brock called Fury, passed the phone to Darcy, and stepped away to give her a bit of privacy. 

Jack watched as Darcy paced back and forth in front of the window. Judging from her body language, facial expressions, and the bits he was able to pick up reading her lips, the conversation was not going her way. 

She was determined though. She refused to bend and evidently they reached an agreement. Darcy transferred the cell back to Brock, who had his own lengthy conversation with Director Fury. Darcy walked back to the table. 

With no indication what she had discussed, she began to eat. The pancakes had cooled enough that the butter she slathered on them refused to melt. 

The waitress brought fresh mugs of coffee. So while the food was no longer warm, at least the coffee was hot. 

Jack looked up as Brock approached. His eyes were flinty. Mouth drawn into a hard line. It was easy to see that whatever he had discussed with Fury had pissed him off. 

An unspoken agreement was made to wait until they were back in the SUV before they discussed anything. Brock ate his eggwhite omelet, his cup of fruit, and drank his coffee in record time. Throwing some bills down onto the table before going back to the SUV. 

Darcy finished up her short-stack of pancakes shortly afterwards. 

"Might as well get this over with before he has a stroke." 

Back in the SUV, Brock sped back onto the highway. Waiting to make sure they hadn't picked up a tail before he shared the news.

"Fury is sending Strike Alpha out tomorrow to head up the search for Dr. Foster."

Jack felt his blood pressure skyrocket as his temper was ignited. 

"What the fuck? What about Darcy?" 

Darcy grimaced at Jack's tone.

"I told Fury that it was absurd to have his best team on babysitting duty. Strike Alpha is wasted on escorting me to DC. If there's any hope of getting Jane back, it'll be having you guys out there using your skills."

While Jack could concede her point, he refused to leave Darcy at the mercy of Hydra. He was not willing to compromise on that. He'd leave SHIELD before he allowed Darcy to be thrown to the wolves.

"Not bloody likely Darce. I'm not leaving you out here so Hydra can swoop in and snatch you up as well. Or worse, kill you."

Darcy jerked her head to the side, glaring at Jack. Her jaw clenched tight.

"I don't remember you getting a vote in the matter. It's my life, my decision, jackass."

Brock was surprised not to see smoke coming out of Jack's ears. It was rare to see him lose his temper but it was a glorious sight to behold when Jack cut loose. 

"Your life, your decision huh? Well funny enough, it's my decision not to abandon you. If Fury has a problem with that. He can shove my badge up his ass."

Darcy ripped her seatbelt off, turned in her seat, and put her finger in his face.

"Oh no you don't. Jane needs you. I'm not the important one here. Jane is the priority. I'm just the intern. Don't you see, if Jane dies because Alpha drove me across the country, I'll never forgive myself."

Just like a balloon that had popped, Darcy's anger melted away and the tears she had fought to hold back rushed forward. She had reached her breaking point. She folded into herself. Her body shaking with the force of her grief. 

Jack scooped her up and pulled her into his lap. Leaning her head against his broad chest as he comforted her the best he could. 

No one spoke as Darcy released the hurt deep inside of her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! 
> 
> I most likely will not update again until December. I work as a personal shopper at Walmart and hoo boy are we crazy busy right now with Thanksgiving next week.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: there's some graphic violence at the beginning of this chapter.

The next morning, Darcy stood by the hotel room window and watched as the loaded down SUV pulled away. A brief moment of panic and doubt filled her chest. Had she just signed her own death warrant? Most likely yes. Did she want to die? Certainly not. Was it worth the risk to save Jane. Abso-fucking-lutely. No matter how you tipped the scales, Dr. Jane Foster mattered more in the grand scheme of things. 

Lost in her spiraling thoughts, she failed to notice the door slowly opening. A person, dressed in a housekeeper's uniform, slipped in through the crack. Flipping the locks before pulling out a garrote. They crept up behind Darcy before springing into action. 

The thin wire was pulled tight and Darcy was lifted off her feet before she even had the chance to react. She could feel her skin being sliced open by the razor-like wire. Her blood flowing down her throat, soaking into her clothing. 

Whereas before, she had kicked wildly resisting the attack, now she moved sluggishly as if she was mired in molasses. Until she stopped moving all together. Her killer snapping her neck for good measure before tossing her lifeless body to the ground. A quick picture text sent for confirmation. 

In and out in mere minutes. In fact, there was a real chance that Strike Alpha was still in town. The hilarity of the situation was not lost on them. The fact that Darcy Lewis died as she watched her protection detail drive away. It was fodder for a Hollywood blockbuster. 

They'd wait until they were out of striking range before they informed Shield of Ms. Lewis's recent demise. It really was a pity as she'd been very beautiful. It was a shame to mare that porcelain skin with the gore of violent death.   
******************************************************************************  
Jack jerked awake. His chest heaving, body soaked in sweat. His heart racing as he fought the inbred instinct to jump into action. 

He pushed himself out of bed and crept into the bathroom. He pushed the boxers plastered to his body down his legs until he was free. Slipping into the shower, ice cold water burst against his overheated skin. 

Closing his eyes, he worked through his deescalation exercises. After his stint undercover in Hydra, he had sought out a therapist to help him with the PTSD and to be sure he was not compromised at all. Breathing in, holding his breath, and releasing it. He repeated the routine as many times as necessary until when he closed his eyes he no longer saw Darcy's vacant eyes staring back at him. 

He knew he had feelings for Darcy Lewis. This was not the first time Strike Alpha had encountered the two women. While they had missed out on Thor's arrival in Puente Antiguo, they had been the ones to provide security during Loki's invasion in New York. 

While Jane had been less than thrilled with Shield's manipulation, she had been reluctantly impressed that Fury had sent his best team to guard them instead of having them on the front lines in New York. 

Jack had been gobsmacked from the moment he laid eyes on Darcy. While stunningly beautiful, it was the way she had verbally eviscerated a Shield agent and stood firm when that agent had tried to use their height difference to intimidate her. Jack had watched in delight as she had made the man cower with the threat of the same taser that had taken down Thor. 

Brock had noticed that Jack seemed to have a soft spot for the intern. He'd gone out of his way to make sure Jack was on the detail anytime Darcy left the labs. So it came as no surprise that Brock had pulled him aside last night, after the call with Fury. 

Jack and Darcy would be completely alone. Minus the brief moments when they'd need to refuel, there'd be no other humans to interact with. No break from one another. This would be both heaven and the purest form of hell. Brock knew that Jack would never step over the line. There was no danger in any non consensual activities. But could he fight to keep his head together if things became heated. 

Sex was not an option. Darcy could be gloriously naked and spread out like a buffet. It was not an option. Jack had to keep his head clear. Keep it G rated. 

Brock had been brutally clear about this. If Jack faltered for even a moment, falling to temptation just once, Darcy's safety would be compromised. You cannot be objective when the person you loved, possibly loved, was in danger. 

Jack had sworn it wouldn't be an issue. Now though, hours later, he was trying to keep it together after a nightmare. 

He was royally fucked. He was already emotionally compromised. That was brutally clear now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter. I've been sick (not Covid thankfully, although those tests suck ass) and I've been in bed since last Thursday. 
> 
> I have started on the next chapter though. So yay!!!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading.


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